Macaulay Culkin remembered Catherine O’Hara not just as the actor who played his mother in the “Home Alone” films, but as “mama.” Culkin joined O’Hara’s “Schitt’s Creek” co-stars Annie Murphy and Dan Levy on stage at the Emmy Awards for an emotional tribute to the acclaimed comic actor, who died Jan. 30 at age 71.
“She wasn’t just a wife to Bo (Welch) and mother to Matthew and Luke,” Culkin said. “She was my mom. She was our mama, and by extension, she’s all of our mama.”
Culkin urged viewers to call their mothers and reflected on O’Hara’s continued presence in his life decades after their work on the “Home Alone” movies, where she portrayed Kate McCallister. “This is the best that we can do for her tonight. We’re showing up for her,” he stated. “She may have forgotten me twice, but we will always remember her.”
O’Hara’s career, which spanned five decades, included work on the Canadian sketch series “SCTV,” the “Home Alone” franchise, Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, and her Emmy-winning portrayal of Moira Rose on “Schitt’s Creek.” She died from a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer listed as the underlying cause.
Murphy, who played O’Hara’s daughter Alexis Rose on “Schitt’s Creek,” recalled her co-star’s distinctive laugh, describing it as a “perpetual ‘yes, and.’” She said O’Hara spread delight everywhere, citing instances of strangers sharing their grief with her following O’Hara’s death. “These are only a very few of the interactions I’ve been lucky enough to have that remind me how profoundly Catherine has impacted the world,” Murphy said. “And it’s because she brought us joy.”
Levy, who co-created “Schitt’s Creek” and played O’Hara’s onscreen son David Rose, shared that the most significant lesson he learned from her was to “always say yes” to her creative instincts. He recounted O’Hara’s late-night rewrites and the eccentric ideas that shaped Moira Rose, including her extensive wig collection. “Say yes to the concept of a wig wall. Say yes to her asking to wear a wig as a hat. Say yes to her naming that wig,” Levy said. “Say yes to giving her space to experiment and create. It will amaze you on a daily basis, and it will change your life.” Levy also emphasized O’Hara’s generosity off-screen, recalling her dinner invitations and the wisdom she shared. “Say yes to her dinner invites and her stories and her wisdom and her generosity,” he advised. “Those are the things you will hold on to the tightest. Always say yes to any opportunity to revel in the presence of greatness.”
Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan performed during the in-memoriam segment, which also honored other members of the television industry who passed away over the past year, including Dolly Parton, Rob Reiner, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Bob Mackie.